January 20, 2012; Source: Fox News | Famed country singer Garth Brooks is suing Canadian Valley Regional Hospital in Yukon, Okla. because the hospital did not name its new women’s center after his deceased mother, Colleen. Brooks took the stand on Friday and said he donated $500,000 on the understanding that the hospital agreed to the naming—and that they had even presented him with an architect’s rendering of the new unit with his mother’s name prominently featured on the building.
James Moore, CEO of the hospital, says this was not the case and hospital officials counter that the donation was, in fact, sent in anonymously. Brooks has asked the hospital to either return his donation or send it to the Colorado-based Teammates for Kids Foundation but the hospital has refused.
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Moore may have more to worry about here than just the half million. Among the information presented at the trial was an e-mail from March 2009 from the CEO to hospital staff that included the statement, “We may not deny Garth access to the money, however, we can sure as hell make him work to get it.”
Not exactly a donor-friendly image. The case is due to wrap up on Tuesday. –Ruth McCambridge